Pitter-patter!
“Lord Kraxas has fallen!”
“It seems the outer sealing magic circle has been released! Where are the intruders?”
In the 2nd area, the security was very tight.
As the news of Deputy Commander Kraxas’s fall spread throughout the base, numerous demon elite soldiers started moving to search for intruders.
“Hmm….”
I hid behind a military supply box and fell into thought.
In this state, it didn’t seem easy to reach the 2nd named boss room.
Cutting down all demonic beasts and demons while advancing? That’s nonsense. Even if possible, it would take all day alone.
Although the security posture was watertight. Fortunately, most demon elite soldiers were moving towards the 1st area.
The demon regular soldiers, who are currently the main security personnel, are patrolling with one dog-shaped chimera each.
If it’s just those guys, I can take them out quickly before they call for backup.
Swish, swish.
I kept moving forward between boxes without being detected, just like in the 1st area.
Peek.
As I slightly poked my head out from behind a box, I saw a demon regular soldier with one chimera in front of me. No others were visible around.
The given time isn’t long. Their patrol routes will overlap with other guards within 10 seconds. Take them out quickly and move.
Pitter-patter!
“Huh, who’s there!”
I approached quickly and took their rear with Counterattack before they could even spot me.
Moonlight flashed once, followed by starlight cutting through the demon’s body.
“Kuhuk!”
“Grrrr!”
The chimera beast that lost its master charged toward me.
Slash!
“Yip!”
Oh, it looks like a dog, but it actually makes dog sounds?
I dealt with the demon regular soldier and one beast in an instant, but there was no time to delay.
Another guard’s patrol route will pass through here in a few seconds.
I immediately moved my body.
The warehouse area visible since entering the 2nd area was now at hand.
“Hmm….”
I arrived before a plausible-looking stone building, but what should I do?
The demons’ encampment, named ‘Demon King’s Army Outpost’ didn’t just have tents. Warehouses to store supplies were also built here and there.
But the building I’m facing now doesn’t seem to be just a warehouse. This stone building was clearly different compared to the wooden warehouses around it.
The smell wafting out from inside is… food?
Sniff sniff.
“Ugh.”
I made a tearful face after smelling that.
It smells like food, but it’s really strange.
I searched through the other warehouses one by one. This is the only place left where a named boss might be.
I didn’t like it because of the strange smell, but I had no choice but to enter.
Knock knock.
I steeled my resolve and timidly knocked on the door.
In my hero days, my companions would do this for me.
“Hm? What is it?”
“C-can I come in…?”
“…Hehehe, whoever you are, come in.”
A male demon’s voice was heard from inside.
That’s a relief. The demon inside must be a kind demon.
As I opened the door and entered the building, I could tell what the source of the smell here was.
Large cauldrons visible here and there, unidentified green liquid bubbling inside them.
The scene here was like.
“…A kitchen?”
“Oh, a human girl. I heard there was an intruder causing a commotion outside. Was that you?”
In front of my eyes was a male demon holding a dagger.
The weapon’s shape was closer to a kitchen knife used for cooking rather than a dagger.
His long ears reminded me of an elf, but at the same time, his skin dyed in dark brown clearly revealed that he wasn’t a simple elf.
A demon who looks like a dark elf holding a kitchen knife in the kitchen.
Does that mean this demon is the chef?
He smiled and spoke to me.
“I heard Kraxas fell. You seem to have strong power despite your small body.”
That mister was quite strong, too.
“The reason I hold the position of quartermaster is because I like making food for our dogs. What do you think the ingredients for this dish are?”
“Ooh.”
I jumped up on the spot.
I shifted my trembling gaze toward the cauldron behind him.
The object boiling in the cauldron was the bones of some large mammal?
The demon in front of me showed his teeth and grinned.
“A good cooking ingredient walked in on its own. I can feed the chimeras a special meal.”
[2nd Named]
[Level 33 Quartermaster Galovan]
[HP 2,610,000/2,610,000]
* * *
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
“Kuhahaha!”
Galovan’s body moved quickly left and right, and the dagger in his hand kept swinging in.
I stepped back while calmly blocking his attacks.
Movements reminiscent of an Elf race Ranger, a 4-hit combo pattern reminiscent of the past ‘Orc Assassin.’
In terms of monster class, this one is also an ‘Assassin’.
Clang!
After blocking the last attack, I switched to offense. I lowered my stance and unleashed Starlight Slash towards his body.
Swish.
“Hah!?”
His body blurred, and my Starlight Slash cut through the air.
Clang!
I quickly turned around and blocked the dagger rushing in.
Seeing me block his attack, a strange light flashed in Galovan’s eyes.
But that was only for a moment; he started swinging combo attacks again while moving his body left and right.
It’s exactly the same as with the Orc Assassin. This one, who appears to be of the Assassin class, also had a rear surprise attack pattern.
His HP is lower than Kraxas’s, but there was hardly any chance to attack due to his fast movements.
How can a chef be this strong?
After grumbling inwardly for a moment, I calmly blocked the combo attacks again while looking for an opportunity to attack.
Clang!
The last attack of the combo.
I blocked that strong incoming attack by twisting my sword and decided to change my response method for the next pattern.
Galovan’s body started to blur after finishing the combo.
Rear surprise attack pattern.
Before Galovan’s figure completely disappeared, I also activated my prepared skill.
[Counterattack (D)]
[Usable in ‘Sword Drawing Stance’]
[Take the opponent’s rear (Cooldown 8 seconds)]
[(D rank) Invincible during casting]
Swish.
Galovan, who used the rear surprise attack first, moved behind me, and my body, which activated Counterattack a beat later, moved to Galovan’s rear.
Slash! Thwack thwack thwack!
“Ugh!?”
Galovan, his body cut by my Starlight Slash, turned around in confusion and spotted me again.
Oh. I thought it might work, and it did.
This is just like what I saw in that old manga, where the protagonist goes to the world of death gods to fight. They constantly teleport behind each other.
He took my rear first with a surprise attack, but my Counterattack activated a beat later and could take Galovan’s rear again.
Galovan’s rear surprise attack pattern was broken with this. Using Counterattack, I didn’t even need to turn my body to block the attack.
Thwack thwack thwack thwack!
Excited by the battle flow going according to my thoughts, I used Counterattack at every rear surprise attack pattern and abused Galovan’s body.
Thud.
In the meantime, Galovan pulled his body back.
Woong.
At the same time, a small purple sphere rose above his hand.
“What!?”
Special pattern?
I checked Galovan’s HP again.
[2nd Named]
[Level 33 Quartermaster Galovan]
[HP 2,471,120/2,610,000]
Not much time had passed since the battle began.
It shouldn’t be time for a special pattern yet?
My doubt was short-lived, as I started focusing on the purple sphere floating above Galovan’s hand.
Flash!
Soon, it shot towards me.
I won’t be able to block that either.
It might burst into a combo like with Kraxas, but I have no choice but to use backward evasion first to see the next pattern.
Thud!
My body using backward evasion moved back, and the purple sphere that circled once where I had been quickly approached me again.
“Eek!”
Pitter-patter!
I ran to avoid the purple sphere chasing me.
Fortunately, the sphere couldn’t approach me while the movement speed buff from backward evasion remained.
Woong!
The demonic energy sphere chasing me suddenly flashed brightly once and then stopped in place.
“…?”
I looked at it with a dumbfounded expression.
It doesn’t chase and explode, just stops and floats in the air.
What does this mean?
But Galovan didn’t give me time to think.
Clang clang clang!
As soon as the purple sphere stopped moving, Galovan’s combo attacks started flying in again.
The battle flow continued without much change. Galovan’s attacks pressuring me with combos, rear surprise attacks, and quick movements were still the same.
While calmly following Galovan’s movements and chipping away at his HP as before, I couldn’t erase my doubts about the demonic energy sphere stopped in mid-air.
Before long, I could tell the identity of that sphere.
Boom boom boom!
“Kuhuk!”
My body rolled on the kitchen floor.
The HP consumption was severe.
Clang clang!
But there was no time to tremble in pain. I got up rolling and faced Galovan’s attack without time to gather my wits.
Galovan smiled through his dagger.
“How is it? The taste of my demonic energy mine.”
It was as he said.
The demonic energy sphere exploded itself when I approached nearby, dealing massive damage.
I couldn’t use the ‘Invincible during casting’ judgment of Counterattack or backward evasion.
The sphere definitely recognized me entering its explosion range before detonating. I tried using backward evasion right before it exploded, but the mine stopped exploding the moment it lost its target to damage.
The demonic energy spheres floating in this kitchen now are over dozens at a rough glance.
Truly, there’s no room to step.
My movement was extremely restricted. Counterattack was sealed too. There was no chance to make a proper attack.
“I-I need to retreat for now.”
I started carefully moving my body between the spheres.
“Kuhahaha! Where do you think you’re going!”
Clang, clang clang, clang!
While moving my body between the spheres’ recognition ranges, painfully blocking Galovan’s attacks, I barely reached near the kitchen entrance.
“G-goodbye!”
Slam!
And, I closed the door.